


Love you to the core

by Hanajimasama



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions, Pokemon - Fandom
Genre: Confessions, F/M, Fluff, applin, love you to the core
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2019-12-06
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:27:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21687541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hanajimasama/pseuds/Hanajimasama
Summary: Living for the applin feelings. Raihan meets Luna, an old friend of Sonia. Two different worlds slowly melting together.
Relationships: Raihan/ OC
Comments: 6
Kudos: 65





	Love you to the core

**Author's Note:**

> I am loving the applin love and the Raihan love. Apologies for grammar. Thank you for reading!!!

Gym battles never used to be such a big event. 

_ How did it come to this? _

The cheering crowd couple with chanting was deafening. She felt sick.

_ I don’t think I can do this. Why are these stadiums so big?! _

This how ordeal did not sit well with her at all. She was still in the middle of the Galar gym challenge something she had only taken part because Sonia an old friend had badgered her too.

_ You’ll make lots of new friends _

She only needed ghost Pokémon or that’s what she had thought at the beginning, now it was a little different. The gym’s had challenges and then the battles which was so odd and the leaders themselves were so strangely wholesome. Luna had traveled to Hammerlocke with Sonia she had somewhere she wanted to visit and it was a chance to introduce her reclusive friend to more people one which was the Galar champion Leon and the other was Hammerlocke’s own gym leader the dragon tamer Raihan. 

The dragon tamer was a breath of fresh air, he was so bright and- tall. Luna had slowly hidden behind Sonia and taken a few steps backwards to try and escape from being overwhelmed by these two mighty figures.

“Who's your shadow?” Luna looked up to see Leon peering down at her making her back up quickly into another figure, 

“Rawr” Raihan grinned down at her flashing his little fangs at her. She went into a social melt down and put a literal wall between them, her runerigus Akumu appeared from it’s ball and towered over them using it’s long shadow arms to push them away, protecting it’s little master.

“Lu? Luna are you alright?” Sonia asked kneeling down to try and comfort her under the watchful gaze of the huge stone slab.

“S-sorry- I was- I’m going to go. I should head to the next gym” Luna stammered out slowly rising to her feet.

“Ruu?” She looked at Akumu leaning against it happily, 

“I didn’t mean to worry you. Let’s get some supplies and I’ll make us some tasty curry at camp”

“But challengers can stay-“ Raihan started but was interrupted almost instantly.

“I prefer camping” Luna replied quickly and excused herself. 

“Hard to believe she’s the current Champion of Kanto,” Sonia sighed shaking her head “She’s still not a people person.”

“She’s on par with Leon? That little snom?” Raihan asked completely bewildered. Sonia laughed, 

“That’s how she’s always been. Wait until you see her battle, she’s completely different.”

-

Raihan had bumped into her several times but each time she had scampered away, turned out she had stayed more than one night in the route just outside of Hammerlocke. On one sunny afternoon his Flygon had flown off during training. Giving chase he found flygon at her camp accepting head pats and curry. 

“So this is where you ran off to” he huffed making her jump.

“-W-what do you want?” She asked in a panic, she was clearly still wary of him as were her ghost Pokémon, especially a large rotund Gengar who was eyeing him up from over the curry pot. 

“I’m here for him” he said gesturing to the flygon who was happily eating curry, becoming fast friends with other Pokémon around the campfire “We have training” Raihan added trying to appear taller and more intimidating to the ghosts watching him silently, though the loud rumbling echoed from his stomach making his ears burn. She laughed. It was so light, like the gentle jingle snoms made. 

“Here eat” she said holding out a bowl of piping hot curry “I’ll warn you it’s spicy” 

“I’m a dragon I can hack it” he boasted before swallowing a few large spoonfuls of the dark curry before having to gesture for water, she chuckled at him again “Damn girl, what kind of berries did you put in there?!”

“Well we like a good spicy curry” she smiles, Raihan suddenly noticed she had no bowl in her hand and looked to the one in his hands. She had given her share to him and the extra to flygon.. she didn’t even know him. He stood up and thrust the bowl back at her but she politely pushed it back “you eat it, don’t you have lots of trainers to crush- challenge?” He frowned they weren’t ruthless trainers, they were there to challenge trainers not flat out destroy them. What were the gyms like in others regions?

“Fly-“ Flygon looked up from it’s half empty bowl, Luna looked around him to the sad looking dragon,

“Don’t worry sweetie you eat it” she said gently,

“Okay I will-“

“I couldn’t have been more clearly talking to Flygon” she said flatly moving around him, Gengar was laughing at him. She stroked the dragon’s head “you have lots of training to do” Flygon chirped happily and nuzzled her back, “oh you’re so cute” she smiled.

“How come you’re nicer to them?” He asked curiously,

“Because Pokémon are a blessing and super cute and just a delight to be around,” she replied quickly 

“You don’t feel creeped out? Isn’t having this many ghosts like super bad luck?” He barely finished his sentence when a ladle was hurdled at his head “What-“

“If you’re finished you can leave” she said quickly not looking at him “I’ll send flygon when he’s finished.” Flygon looked between them and ate the rest of it’s curry nudging her happily to thank for the meal “you’re most welcome.” She set to collecting the bowls from the Pokémon, she paid him no mind and he took that as his sign to leave.

“Thanks for the meal” he said setting the bowl down shoving his hands into his pockets as he walked away from the camp. 

-

It was a few days before Raihan spotted her again. He had been out in the wilds training and had gotten caught in a sudden downpour. Deciding to wait for the rain to stop, he took shelter under one of the tall stone formations. He leant lazily against the slanting stone slab and scrolled through his phone, taking a picture of the rain as it fell around him.

_ Guess I’m stuck here _

The rain was so deafening that he didn’t hear anyone approaching or stop in front of the formation, quietly watching him for a few moments, he noticed something out of his peripheral vision and jumped sending rotom into the air. 

“Damn-“

“You’ll be waiting a while for it to stop” she said simply, he looked up properly at her. She was certainly more kitted out for the rain than he was sporting a pastel purple raincoat with a smiley gengar print.

“Why are you all the way out here?” He asked not moving from his spot, there was space for her to join but she stayed under her umbrella keeping her distance. She held up the tote bag she was carrying,

“There was an injured munna, near the giant’s cap, I was bringing it food and going to change it bandages” 

Raihan opened his mouth to question that, he wasn’t expecting that answer. “Need some company?”

“Not particularly,” she replied turning away from him “but I guess you don’t want to be stuck under there all day,” He took that as permission to follow and hurried from his spot, ducking under her umbrella, his hand ghosting over hers to take control of the umbrella holding it at a height he could fit under without crouching “hey!”

“What? I’m taller” he grinned cheekily “so which way?” She looked at him vacantly “what?”

“I heard the champion was geologically challenged, I didn’t know his rival was too,” she stated a smile tugging at her lips “Giant’s cap is this way” she said pointing to their left. They headed off in the downpour the rain splashing beneath their feet. Neither said a word, Raihan was convinced she hated him. He glanced down at her she was clutching the strap of her rucksack nervously keeping her eyes forward.

_ Sonia did say she was shy around people.. _

“So-“

“Here we are” she said cutting his sentence short “stay here munna is a little skittish” she pulls up the hood of her raincoat which sported little ears resemblance of gengars. “Oh-“ she rummages in her rucksack and shoves a towel into his chest before heading out into the rain. He watched her coax a little pink Pokémon with a flower pattern on it’s back out of the tall grass. 

“Hey there” she holds out her hand waiting for the munna is approach her, it nudged her hand gingerly “how are you feeling today?” She changed its bandages and opened a little Tupperware box setting it down on the grass “It’s a sweet herb curry. Full of lots of tasty things to help you feel better” the munna sniffed the box curiously before sticking it’s little nosy mouth appendage into the box,

“Muuuu” 

“That good huh?” She chuckled stroking its back slowly, “you’ll be fit as a fiddle in no time” the munna made a happy little snort as it snuffled down the rest of the curry and climbed onto her lap.

Seeing her so at ease with wild Pokémon made him smile, it wasn’t even hers and she had come out of her way to care for it. Raihan carefully moved forward not wanting to startle it but the munna noticed it and dove into the long grass. 

“S-sorry” he stammered as she shot him a glare,

“Hey little one, it’s alright, he’s just a stupid giant” she said ignoring Raihan’s protests. The munna poked it’s little head out of the grass and waddled back over to her allowing to be picked up carefully. Standing up she frowns at him “I told you to stay back.”

He moved to hold the umbrella over them, looking down at the little pink Pokémon in her arms: a dream eater if he remembered correctly. “Sorry. I was just curious. It’s not your Pokémon so why are you looking after it?” He reached gingerly to stroke the Pokémon but it snorted at him stubbornly “Okay no” he laughed nervously.

“Why shouldn’t I?” She asked bitterly “don’t all Pokémon deserve our love?” He couldn’t argue with her there. “Feeling better little one?” She smiled down at the Pokémon who nuzzled against her in response. She knelt down to put the Pokémon down but it had other ideas and floated up onto her shoulder, Raihan couldn’t help but snigger.

“Guess it wants to stay with you,” he chuckled as the munna floated down into her open tote bag and looked up at her hopefully, 

“Welcome to the family” she says with a soft smile, picking up the bag “Well then I’ll have to think of a good name for you” 

“You nickname them?” He asked with a little smile tugging at his lips.

She stared at him affronted he would ask such a thing “Of course I do!” Raihan wanted to laugh she got so worked up about such strange things.

“Your gengar?”

“Kibou.” She said quickly,

“Hope? I thought you’d call it like kuro or something- what?” He noticed she was staring at him with a face of disgust,

“Gengar is purple and there is a reason he’s called that,” she explained, Raihan waited to hear the reason “it’s a long story, lets go. You have a gym to look after” she headed off into the rain not waiting for Raihan who trotted to catch up to her with the umbrella.

“So- what badge are you up to?” He asked 

“I’ll be heading to Stow-on-side soon,” she replied with a sigh. Most people were excited about being in the challenge and it’s not something you entered on a whim, you needed an endorsement. Just like her ghost Pokémon she was mysterious.

“You don’t seem too thrilled about the whole thing, the gym challenge in general.” Sonia didn't say too much about Luna but he was curious, she was already a champion then why hasn't anyone heard of her?

“The gyms here are nicer but I hate these stadiums. They’re too big” she mumbled not looking up at him focusing her gaze on the munna that had drifted off to sleep in the bag.

“People don’t come watch you battle?”

She laughed flatly “of course not. Unless you travel with friends. The only gym I remember having spectators was Cerulean City but that was because the sisters there were so popular and it was like a huge water show,” she sighed again,

“Sounds lonely” Raihan couldn’t understand that, he was so used to having hundreds of f people come and watch his match. Not having anyone there to cheer you on or comfort you was lonely. 

“I had my Pokémon so I wasn’t alone” she added quietly.

“You said something before that bothered me. What did you mean when you said we crush the trainers.” 

“Not you personally, though I haven’t seen you battle so I don’t know how cruel you are,” she said carefully adjusting her hold on the bag with the munna in it “there were a few gym leaders in Kanto who were heartless and who took it upon themselves to destroy any Pokémon trainer that challenged them to a battle for a badge,” she sighed deeply “I didn’t want to do this again but Sonia badgered me.”

“You can quit-“

“I’m here now though-“ she stopped talking for a moment and glanced up at him “tell me your gym challenge doesn’t involve me herding wooloo. I almost got crushed by them!” Raihan blinked and laughed loudly, the thought of this quiet little woman trying to herd that many wooloo only to have them roll back at her tickled him.

“I’m sorry, I would have loved to have seen that” he patted her head making her swat his hand away “don’t worry, no wooloo.” He grinned, this was a step in the right direction she seemed to be opening up a little. “Do the other gyms have challenges?” He questioned 

“No. It’s a straight up battle. THey might have house rules. Like Saffron city has, a one Pokémon battle rule and Viridian city allowed you to use as many Pokémon as you liked versus his weird psychic Pokémon,” she explained hopping over a little puddle like a lotad. “I would like to go to Hoenn one day though. They have Pokémon contests. My Pokémon would win all the ribbons because they’re so cute” she exclaimed excitedly. 

“Cute...gengar?” She shot him a glare again before pulling her rotom phone from her pocket and scrolled through quickly before shoving the device into his face,

“See! Look how adorable Kibou looks!” Raihan looked at the gengar which was dressed as what he could assume was a vampire with it’s high collared cape and little top hat. His gaze fell onto the figure next to it, the one dressed as a Pokémon whose named escaped his memory.

“Hm, that’s cute but what about this one- is that you?” He asked managing to wrestle the phone from her hand, 

“Hey! Give- it- back,” he held it out of her grasp as she tried to jump for it without waking munna.

“It is you. What Pokémon is that?” He was enjoying learning things about this little trainer.

“Mismagius” she mumbled “-it was ages ago”

“Hmm, the date says last year,” he grinned looking down at her flustered face, she pouted and kicked him in the shin repeatedly until he dropped the rotom phone who floated back into her pocket. “You make a pretty cute ghost” he chuckled only to have his shin attacked again. “Dumb dragon dork.”

  
  


Raihan spotted something rushing at them in the distance and slipped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close making her squeak in alarm, as two large rhyhorn barrelled past them kicking up a lot of dust “steady there, you alright?” She glanced up at him, her cheeks rosy, a hand nervously tugging on his hoodie.

“-I wondered what you were doing!” She half shouted in panic pulling away from him in embarrassment. He could feel his ears burning and his stomach felt like it was doing a seismic toss.

_ I want to tease her more. _

He smiled and leaned down closing the gap between them “you’re pretty cute” he cooed, her face slowly glowed crimson and she kicked him in the shin.

“Y-you jerk!” She took a few steps back, 

“Raihan! Sir!” He turned round as one of the trainers from his gym came sprinting towards them “This is where you were. I brought you an umbrella but you seem to have one already. Anyway Chairman Rose wants to see you.” 

Raihan nodded “Sure. Let me give this back” he turned around to hand the umbrella back to Luna but she had gone, vanished like a ghost. He hummed and scratched the back of his head “Guess she ran away.” He smiled softly, she had left him wanting to see her again, to learn more about the cute little ghost that had uncharacteristically helped him.

  
  


—

The next time he saw her was three days later in the chairman’s office in Hammerlocke stadium. She sat nervously her back straight and her hands folded in her lap, she kept her eyes averted at her hands, she clearly did not want to be here. Sonia was sat on her left. On the sofa opposite was Leon and a young man with spiky brown hair with a smug grin on his face called Blue. Raihan stood behind and leant against the wall watching intently.

“So that’s how it’s going to be. A champion match between Blue and Luna,” Rose nodded excitedly stroking his beard “I am surprised to learn that a foreign champion would enter our league.”

“Not by choice” Luna mumbled “I haven’t agreed to this,” she announced a little louder, she glanced up to look at Blue but turned her gaze back to her hands when Blue met her stare “you defeated Lance didn’t you? That makes you champion”

“Of Johto. When I beat you it means I’ll be champion of both Kanto and Johto like it used to be,” Blue argued, bragging as if he would most certainly win in a battle with her. 

“I asked Lance to take that mantle. I didn’t want it. You can tell people you're champion of both. I don’t care.” She retorted stubbornly.

Blue slammed his hands on the table and stood up suddenly making Sonia and Luna jump “No! You’re still the champion and I’m going to crush you and take your title. Which will be easy enough I heard what Pokémon you use and quite frankly I’m embarrassed for Lance to lose against such weak Pokémon.”

Raihan noticed Sonia tense and reach to set a hand on Luna’s shoulders, but too late, a dark aura seemed to radiate around her. 

“What did you say?” She asked calmly, 

“I said I was going to crush you and your stupid creepy Pokémon-“ his words trailed off as the aura twisted into the large form of gengar, it’s eyes glowing red at him. 

“You can say what you want about me. I don’t care. Don’t slander my Pokémon or I’ll bury you. You can have your match, if that’s what you so wish,” she looked towards Rose’s desk “let me know when you decide on a date.” She said bowing before exiting the room.

“Get back here-“ Blue snapped “we haven’t-“ he cursed loudly as his belt snapped and his trousers fell down around his ankles, the gengar sniggering as it floated through the door. Raihan chuckled quietly, she had more bite than she let on. 

-

Luna walked quickly through the stadium, her hands clenched tightly as she tried to calm herself. What did she just get herself into? She could have calmly excused herself but no she got protective about her dear Pokémon. 

“Gengaaar” Gengar floated in front of her upside down making her jump and then laugh, 

“Sorry, I dragged you into it” Gengar rolled around patting her head, 

“Gaaar” 

“Of course you’ll be on the team. You are team captain after all” she smiled widely like Gengar who bounced around happily “Come on, lets go battle plan” she sighed letting her shoulders slump.

“Luna!” She stopped walking and turned around as Sonia came jogging towards her with Leon and Raihan in tow. “Are you alright?” She asked 

“Yes, I suppose so” Luna noticed the bruises that decorated Raihan’s shin she hadn’t realised she had kicked him that hard “Was a date set?”

“Next Friday so you have a week” Leon answered “did you need some help?”

“No, that’s alright-“ Gengar leaned over her head 

“Gengar” it floated next to lean and made little punching movements “geengar gar”

“You want to train with other pokemon?” She interpreted, Kibou nodded “but what about the others we have plenty to train with” but Gengar tugged on Leon’s cape making her sigh in defeat “you want to train with the champions Pokémon” Gengar nodded “Fine. We will accept your help.” She said bowing to Leon.

“What about me?” Raihan asked with a grin 

“I think I said champion didn’t I?” She replied curtly watching him pout stubbornly, 

“But I’m the strongest gym leader” he argued,

“The more the merrier” Leon laughed “there’s some good places we can train.” They followed Leon out of the stadium building, Luna walked behind Leon and Sonia who chatted away about Blue. She looked down at Raihan’s leg again and felt a little guilty she had kicked him that hard “s-sorry” she mumbled loudly enough for him to hear and he glanced up from his phone and smiled at her which made her heart skip a beat,

_ What just happened? _

“Oh that? That’s not from you” he laughed “I fell up the stairs in the vault, the stairs were slippery after the rain.”

“Oh right-“ she laughed nervously looking away from him, well now she felt stupid. She had assumed it was because of her and walked a little bit faster trying to catch up with Leon and Sonia. 

“Gengaaar” Gengar wanted to play phased through the floor grabbing the gym leaders ankles, sending him and his phone flying forward he reached out to grab the nearest thing to him which happened to be Luna. They ended in a heap on the floor, Raihan had managed to stop himself crushing her completely. 

“Ow-“ she propped herself up on her elbows and looked up and swallowed, their faces were so close. 

_ His eyes are so beautiful like a clear lake. He- he smells like cinnamon. _

She let out a squeak and scurried away quickly before scrambling to her feet. Kibou hadn’t meant for her to be dragged into the prank and tugged on her arm. 

“I’m alright Kibou” she smiled patting his head, quickly distracting herself from the event that just occurred. She caught Raihan’s brilliant blue eyes as he rose to his feet and she averted her gaze quickly. “Let’s go train” she smiles at Gengar nuzzling the top of it’s head. 

  
  
  


—

Luna looked up at the drawbridge to the Hammerlocke stadium and sighed, her stomach was full of butterfrees, a week had gone by so quickly. Now she had to have a battle with a champion that just couldn’t leave well alone. Could have just accepted the title from Lance but no, he had to be stubborn.

“Luna!” Sonia snapped her out of her thoughts as she approached with a little group of people. Some she recognised as gym leaders.

“Miss Opal good morning” she greeted with a smile, as the old eccentric gym leader from her hometown made her way to the front of the group “-I- what are you doing here?”

“Can’t miss your champion battle now can I?” She smiled patting her shoulder, “I only missed the last one because you were overseas. Break a leg” she nodded. Luna was introduced to the ice gym leader Melony and the rock gym leader Bea. Kabu, Nessa and Milo had come to watch the match too. 

“I can’t wait to see two champions battle” Bea grinned “I skipped school for this” she announced proudly,

“Bea dear, you should take studies a little more serious” Melony sighed, Melony was one of the older gym leaders and practically mothered anyone younger than her. She was a mother of five after all. 

“Sorry we’re late, Leon got lost: again” Raihan announced half dragging Leon behind him, with a smaller Leon at his side.

“This is Hop my little brother, he’s a challenger too. He’s very excited to see the match” Leon smiled patting his brother’s back proudly almost knocking the wind out of the young boy.

“Wait, bro you said it was a champion match, you mean it’s not yours?” He asked sounding very disappointed,

“I think people would prefer to see you battle” Luna said with a tired smile “Rose hasn’t mentioned any name other than Blue, so a lot of people are expecting you”

Leon laughed “and they’re going to get a surprise” the importance of the match started to weigh down on her, she didn't care about the title but if she didn’t win she’d let her Pokémon down and she would have wasted all of their help training too.

“Don't worry about it” Raihan grinned ruffling her hair playfully “you’ll beat that little yungoos” this was far too much social interaction, her brain was starting to meltdown. This hadn’t been her plan, she had the exact scenario planned in her head but she panicked. He was this close and maybe it would make her feel calmer?

She swallowed the lump in her throat and reached for a pokeball in her pocket. “Raihan-“ she coughed “c-can you look after this for me?” She stammered half shoving the item into his hand, 

“A pokemon?” He asked curiously “what is it?”

She felt sick.  _ That didn’t work at all. _

“I-I I need to go,” she choked out backing away from the group turning on her heels and running into the stadium and into the locker room. She stood in the empty locker room, music from the stadium flowing quietly through the walls. Burying her face in her hands as she sunk to her knees “What on earth was I thinking?!” She cried out “Right before a match which I was already anxious for and now that?! AHHH! I’m so stupid” she cursed wanting nothing more than to have the floor swallow her whole. 

  
  


-

Raihan stood confused “What just happened?”

Opal chuckled “Poor girl was never good with people” she tapped his leg with her cane “lets see it” 

Raihan nodded and released the pokemon from the ball. On the ground sat a little red apple pokemon: Applin. Now he was even more confused “why would she give me an applin? I was expecting a ghost of something-“

“Want me to put him in a headlock?” Bea asked Melony who looked mortified,

“We don’t have time for that. The match will start soon” Melony smiled bending to lift the pokemon and hand it carefully to Raihan “look after it” she advised and headed off with Bea and Opal. 

“Dude, what did I miss?” He asked Leon and looked at Kabu who simply shook his head. Milo patted him on the back offering a sympathetic smile and walked off too. “No one? Awesome.” He huffed following into the arena. The gym leaders had a front row seat for the battle, a little bunker just off the side of the pitch. Raihan slumped in his chair his feet resting on the metal barrier that separated the vip area and the field. He placed the applin on his shoulder and took a selfie with it: was given this little chap to look after.

“Oh here she comes!” Sonia announced taking a photo of Luna as she walked stiffly onto the pitch “Oh no, she’s still nervous”

“It would take a miracle to calm her” Opal said shaking her head, “that young chap she’s facing doesn’t seem to feel the same.”

Blue had strutted onto the field proudly and smugly waving at the fan who were clearly cheering for Leon but were slow into realising that their champion wasn’t the one battling. Rose walked onto the field.

“Hello everyone! I can tell some of you have questions. The champions in question are Blue from Johto and Luna champion of the Kanto region.” Luna didn’t even look up from her shoes whilst Blue was relishing in the attention. Raihan looked at his phone and frowned, his notifications were going crazy more so than normal. Melony sat beside him and tapped his feet to put them down, 

“Do you know the rumour behind applin?” She asked with a soft smile, Raihan shrugged in response, “If you give applin to the one you love, you’ll be together forever. It’s a sweet old fashioned little rumour but it’s cute dont you think?” Raihan let the thought sink in a moment. 

_ She likes me?  _

He scrolled through the messages in a sudden panic and saw that the applin rumour was known to a lot of people:

An applin?! 

Jealous! 

That’s such a sweet confession!

Who?!

  
  


His ears burnt. So she did mean that. He looked up from his phone and stared out to the field. Remembering what she had told him, she had never had anyone cheer for her. Travelling alone.

No. Not anymore.

He stood up from his seat and walked out of the little bunker. Heading straight for the commentary booth. He knocked once and walked in without waiting for a response 

“Raihan, what do we owe the pleasure?” One of the reporters asked with a cheery smile, 

“I need to borrow this now. It’s important.”

-

Luna gripped the edge of her gengar print jacket nervously. She could hear the disappointed chattering the moment she had walked out onto the field. Blue was soaking up at spotlight and attention, all she wanted to do was crawl under a rock and die. 

“ _ HEY! IS THIS ON?!” _

_ “Raihan, you don’t need to shout-“ _

Silence fell over the stadium and the attention shifted to the big screens dotted around the stadium. The Hammerlocke gym leader: Raihan was on the screen grinning like a fool,

“ _ Hey! Sorry to interrupt but this is important,” _ he held up an applin to the camera. Luna stopped and felt sick to her stomach, was he going to turn her down? In front of all these people? “ _ I got this little guy from the cutest little ghost ever. Luna, I love you!”  _ He shouted his grin widening across his face “Our love is going to be as sweet as little applin! And when you beat this kid, I’m going to take you out to dinner!” He added kissing the applin winking at the camera.

Luna stared at the big screen her mouth open, her face couldn’t get any redder. How could he- in front of. All these people. 

“YOU BIG STUPID JERK!”

“ _ What did she say? Did she say she loved me?”  _ Raihan asked clearly forgetting he was on air, the commentator beside him coughed audibly.

“ _ She said you were a big stupid jerk.” _

“ _ I LOVE YOU TOO LUNA! GIVE HIM HELL! _ ” He grinned waving at the camera and finally relinquished the camera and microphone back to the crew. 

_ “Well wasn’t that something folks?” _

Luna sunk to her knees in embarrassment. How much of a fool was he? But he was a cute fool- apparently her fool now. She covered her face with her hands hiding her crimson cheeks and the goofy smile that spread across her face when she thought about what had just happened.

“Come on, I’m bored” Blue half shouted “if you’re done with your drama some of us want to battle.”

Luna sighed and laughed into her hands again. All those anxieties seemed so far away now. She was still in the centre of a huge stadium surrounded by far too many people but now she knew that someone was there for her, to cheer for her, she didn’t feel so alone now. As she slowly got to her feet voices echoed around her, voices cheering for her? She closed her eyes and smiled. That was different. She nodded and geared herself up for the battle, now she had to impressive a huge crowd of people. Blue was scowling at her,

“All this just because you shacked up with a gym leader? Wow. Let’s face it, I’ve seen his battles he’s nothing compared to Lance. He’s just a third rate dragon-“ 

“Are you scared of the dark?” She interrupted darkly “because I’m about to show you the true power of ghost types.” She held out a pokeball and smiled “you wanted a battle. So don’t cry when I leave you in the shadows.”

-

Raihan watched excitedly from the sidelines taking a lot of pictures of the match. The moment it ended with Blue’s Machamp feeling the wrath of Gengar. Blue stared in disbelief and dropped to his knees dramatically. Raihan felt waves of pride wash over him as he watched Luna run to Gengar to hug and spin the large ghost around happily. 

“Well it seems the champion of Johto and Kanto belong to our very own Luna!” Rose announced walking onto the pitch “It was a great match, I’m sure you all agree. Looks like our own champion might have trouble holding onto his crown at this rate” he joked patting Luna on the shoulder and offering a hand to Blue who ignored it and rose to his feet slowly 

“I let you win. Next time you won’t be so lucky,” he snapped and stormed off the pitch. Raihan wasted no time in climbing out of the vip box and sprinting across the field to Luna. 

“Luna!” He shouted catching her off guard as he wrapped his arms around her tackling her playfully to the ground “you did great!” He grinned nuzzling her face excitedly “you were amazing!”

“T-that’s great and all but- can you not do this right now?” She asked timidly “there are people watching” she mumbled into his shoulder, 

“So. Let them see,” he chuckled “see how much I love you.”

“I think they heard. Really. Over the loudspeaker?” She grumbled, 

“I wanted you to know you weren’t alone” he said helping her up “this dragon will protect you” he smiled softly kissing her forehead

“Flygon?” She asked a smile tugging at her lips, he pouted “If you’re fine with a creep-‘

“Finish that sentence and I’ll kiss you right here in front of everyone,” he warned with a cheeky smile “because I will” she covered her face quickly making him laugh dipping to scoop her up into his arms “Come on my little champion, I promised you dinner.”

“How are you so embarrassing!” She squirmed in his arms which just forced him to hold her closer to him. Slowly she succumbed to his embrace and clung to his hoodie “you’re such a jerk” she huffed burying her face into his chest “but I- I do like you,” she mumbled. 

“Me too.”

  
  



End file.
